KNIGHTwatch!

Well, it's finally here. The most anticipated movie of the summer, NAY, the year, NAY, the decade!!!! Can you feel DARK KNIGHT mania????? Apparently this is a movie that's going to change superhero, crime drama, action movies, romantic comedies, and korean horror films forever!!!!In all seriousness, I really hope this movie delivers. For me, personally, the Batman franchise is one that I hold more dear to my heart than any other. The original 1989 BATMAN is the reason why I wanted to get in the movie biz in the first place. It was the first time I remember a movie being a true event surrounded by intense anticipation. That summer, my brother took me to see BATMAN five times that summer, and I can still remember how enthralled I was each time I saw it. Plus, this was back in the day before movies came out on video 3 months later, so it played throughout the entire summer. People saw it again and again the way it was meant to be seen: in a movie theater, rather than see it once in the theater and watch it again at home on video.  It was the first time I realized how truly culturally important a movie could be.
Now, THE DARK KNIGHT is about to be unleashed onto the masses, and this is the first movie in a while that has had the kind intense anticipation that a movie like the first BATMAN had. From the incredible web viral campaign, to the amazing advertising (starting with that frustratingly awesome teaser trailer last year), to the unfortunate death of Heath Ledger, to the glowing reviews, this movie has given people countless reasons to be excited. Frankly, I've loved every minute of it.
Ever since DVD, multiplexes, the internet and the importance of opening weekends, etc. movies have ceased to become true "events." With online ticketing, and an insane amount of multiplexes and screens, it's pretty easy to walk into a movie theater and get a ticket to the hottest movie playing that weekend. In fact, most high grossing movies are playing to half-empty theaters their opening nights! What's so exciting about DARK KNIGHT, is that the anticipation is so high, it's now even hard to get tickets for the opening weekend! I'm loving this because there is nothing like watching a film communally in a packed theater with people who want to have an experience at the movie theater, not just waste a couple of hours.
I really feel that this movie is going to be something special. Not only because of it already being hailed as a potential classic, but also because from a historical standpoint it's a phenomenon: something everyone is talking about, something in the news, something that will be remembered forever, regardless of how good or bad the movie really is. THE DARK KNIGHT is what a true "Event Movie" should be all about.  Like BATMAN and other event movies such as JURASSIC PARK, FORREST GUMP, and TITANIC, THE DARK KNIGHT is a film that feels like its already on its way to being a culturally important phenomenon.
So, I hope everyone enjoys the film itself, but also enjoy the hype, enjoy the experience of excitement in the movie theater that the other 200 or so people watching with you are enjoying. It's a rare thing these days, and it's why I love these kinds of movies.

As always, comments are welcome and encouraged. What did you think of the movie?? What movie do you remember that was a true "event" for you?